Method of converting cholesterol in food to coprostanol

Cholesterol reductase was discovered in certain green plant parts. The enzyme is known to be present in several bacteria that commonly inhabit the digestive tract of animals. Eubacteria species A.T.C.C. 21408 is one such cholesterol reductase-containing bacterium. It is concentrated from a homogenate, preferably of leaves of plants or from bacteria or other organisms to provide a cell-free, cholesterol reductase-enriched preparation that can be used to decrease cholesterol content of food substances

Non-invasive Diagnosis of Fatty Liver and Degree of Fatty Liver in Dairy Cows by Digital Analyses of Hepatic Ultrasonograms

The data demonstrate that digital analyses of liver ultrasonograms could diagnose fatty liver and degree of fatty liver (healthy liver, moderate fatty liver, and severe fatty liver with their ranges of 0–8, 8–12, \u3e12% lipids of liver wet weight) with an accuracy of over 90%. Total lipid concentrations could be predicted for liver samples \u3c8% of liver wet weight within 2% of wet weight. Therefore, ultrasound imaging is a reliable, non-invasive technique for determining liver lipid content and for diagnosing fatty liver in early lactation dairy cows to prevent loss of income for dairy farmers

Oral administration of coprostanol producing microorganisms to humans to decrease plasma cholesterol concentration

A method of decreasing plasma cholesterol is disclosed. The method includes oral administration of coprostanol-producing bacteria to humans. These organisms, once in the small intestine, will reduce free cholesterol to coprostanol, which is absorbed poorly. Pharmaceutical compositions for delivery are included as are different methods of delivery such as placing the microorganisms in food

Improvement of Lipid Absorption in Young Pigs as a Model for Preterm Infants

Preterm infants and neonatal suckling piglets have a limited bile acid pool that may hinder absorption of dietary lipids such as fatty acids, triacylglycerols (TAGs), and other lipid-soluble nutrients. Because dietary lipids are a valuable source of energy for growth, it is important that they are efficiently absorbed. The hypothesis of this study is that oral administration of 0.2 g/kg body weight daily of cholylsarcosine, an artificial bile acid, would decrease fecal excretion of dietary fatty acids and TAGs in suckling piglets. Twelve 7-d-old piglets were housed individually and fed a commercial milk replacer with or without oral cholylsarcosine until 21 d of age. Cholylsarcosine treatment decreased fecal excretion of stearic acid (18:0) and palmitic acid (16:0) (P ≤ 0.02). Cholylsarcosine supplementation had no effect on absorption of unsaturated fatty acids of 16 or 18 carbons (P \u3e 0.05). Cholylsarcosine increased fecal excretion of deoxycholic acid (P = 0.03). Apparent absorption of dietary TAGs was increased from 77% in piglets not fed cholylsarcosine to 83% in the piglets that received oral cholylsarcosine. These results support the hypothesis that cholylsarcosine increases absorption of dietary TAGs

Antigen-Specific B Cell Responses of Vaccinated, Neonatal Calves

The immune response of newborn calves to early vaccination is often variable and frequently characterized by marginal or nonexistent antibody responses. The B cell subpopulation of immune cells is pivotal in the production of antibody and has not been characterized completely in the newborn calf. Results from this research describe the composition and antigen-specific responses of B cell populations in preruminant calves vaccinated at an early age. Although preliminary, these data indicate that the responsiveness of B cell population in young calves is dependent on the nature of the vaccine and less on animal maturity. This research provides important new information regarding the immune responsiveness of the neonatal calf to vaccination

Use of Glucagon to Prevent and Treat Fatty Liver in Transition Dairy Cows

Because of the relationship of fatty liver to increase health problems and decreased productive and reproductive performance, scientists can improve the profitability of dairy farmers by developing nutritional and management technologies for preventing and treating fatty liver. Our research group has demonstrated that glucagon shows much promise for use in preventing and treating fatty liver in transition cows. Moreover, we have data to indicate that ultrasound technology can be used to estimate the incidence of fatty liver within a dairy herd. The development of a slow-release form of glucagon would seem necessary before adoption of our proposed glucagon technology is adopted by the dairy industry

High-Growth Rate Fails to Enhance Adaptive Immune Responses in Neonatal Calves and Decreases Immune Cell Viability

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of different feeding rates achieving three targeted growth rates (No Growth, Low Growth, and High Growth) on adaptive immune responses of neonatal calves vaccinated with Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and ovalbumin (OVA) 3 wks after initiation of dietary treatments. The daily growth rates for No-, Low-, and High-growth calves were different throughout the experimental period and averaged 0.11 ± 0.02 kg, 0.58 ± .02, and 1.16 ± 0.04 kg, respectively. Adaptive immune responses generally were not affected by growth rate. Ovalbumin-specific IgG1 and IgG2 concentrations after vaccination were not affected by growth rate. Interferon (IFN)-γ and nitric oxide (NO) secretion by PPD-stimulated mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) also were not affected by growth rate. Antigen (i.e., PPD)-elicited delayed-type hypersensitivity in No-growth calves was greater than Lowgrowth but similar to High-growth calves. Viability of MNL, CD4+, CD8+, and γδTCR+ cells in stimulated and non-stimulated cultures from High-growth calves was substantially lower compared with No- and Low-growth calves. These results suggest protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in the absence of weight loss does not affect negatively adaptive immune responses of calves and that increasing growth rate or plane of nutrition above maintenance requirements does not benefit adaptive immune responses. High rates of growth, however, may affect negatively immune cell viability, with potentially deleterious effects on the calf’s resistance to infectious disease

Health and Reproductive Performance of Lactating Dairy Cows with Mild Fatty Liver Receiving Exogenous Glucagon

The data demonstrate that mild fatty liver is associated with decreased general health and reproductive performance as evidenced by more days to first estrus and service, more days open, decreased conception, increased number of days with elevated body temperature at days 9 - 22 postpartum, and increased incidence of mastitis at days 32 – 150 postpartum. The latter two were decreased in dairy cows with mild fatty liver injected with 15 mg/d of glucagon during weeks 2 and 3 postpartum. Therefore, treatment of mild fatty liver with exogenous glucagon or better prevention of fatty liver might improve health and reproductive performance of lactating dairy cows, thereby preventing loss of income of dairy farmers

Crossing barriers in planetesimal formation: The growth of mm-dust aggregates with large constituent grains

Collisions of mm-size dust aggregates play a crucial role in the early phases of planet formation. We developed a laboratory setup to observe collisions of dust aggregates levitating at mbar pressures and elevated temperatures of 800 K. We report on collisions between basalt dust aggregates of from 0.3 to 5 mm in size at velocities between 0.1 and 15 cm/s. Individual grains are smaller than 25 \mum in size. We find that for all impact energies in the studied range sticking occurs at a probability of 32.1 \pm 2.5% on average. In general, the sticking probability decreases with increasing impact parameter. The sticking probability increases with energy density (impact energy per contact area). We also observe collisions of aggregates that were formed by a previous sticking of two larger aggregates. Partners of these aggregates can be detached by a second collision with a probability of on average 19.8 \pm 4.0%. The measured accretion efficiencies are remarkably high compared to other experimental results. We attribute this to the rel. large dust grains used in our experiments, which make aggregates more susceptible to restructuring and energy dissipation. Collisional hardening by compaction might not occur as the aggregates are already very compact with only 54 \pm 1% porosity. The disassembly of previously grown aggregates in collisions might stall further aggregate growth. However, owing to the levitation technique and the limited data statistics, no conclusive statement about this aspect can yet be given. We find that the detachment efficiency decreases with increasing velocities and accretion dominates in the higher velocity range. For high accretion efficiencies, our experiments suggest that continued growth in the mm-range with larger constituent grains would be a viable way to produce larger aggregates, which might in turn form the seeds to proceed to growing planetesimals.Comment: 9 pages, 20 figure